Save By Works, Alright! (Just Not Mine)

Every time I read Romans 6 I am captivated by the power of baptism; how God is so very diligently at work in baptism! 

So as you read this I ask you to remember two things:

    1.     The Gospel—the Good News Message of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection—is the story that the Letter to the Romans is telling. 

    2.     Romans is about The Righteousness of God.

If you aren’t careful, you may discover that in such a simple act of allowing someone else to immerse me in water (in the name of Jesus Christ), the Gospel is experienced, grace is received, and God’s righteousness is on full display! 

Romans 6:3-14 (NLT)

Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Oh, Father!  Thank you for the freedom of your grace in Christ!  Amen.